Constellation of Cancer: all about the beautiful cluster of stars

The constellation of Cancer is one of the most faint constellations. Around this constellation is located a large number of other clusters of stars: Hydra, Lynx, Leo, Gemini. The southern southern constellation of Cancer is observed, as a rule, in the period from January to May, because at this time it is at the highest point above the horizon.

In the constellation you can not look to see about 60 stars, among which only 5 are the brightest (4th magnitude). All the stars that make up the constellation are connected by lines that create a certain triangle, and at its top one can see the star chain. It is very difficult to consider in the figure formed by the stars, it is cancer, but in the atlases of the stars of ancient times it is depicted that way.

The stars γ and δ form an amazing, albeit fuzzy, foggy "star". It is interesting that even in ancient times this unusual "star" was noticed and called "Crèche", and those stars that make it, were called "ashamed." Even in ancient times, people believed that if the "blured" brightly shine, or "Crib", on the contrary, are dark, then you need to wait for the rain. Since the invention of the telescope, it turned out that this foggy "star" is a star cluster, which Galileo first noticed. The foggy star "Crib" is a scattered cluster of stars, which includes about 100 stars (16 light years in diameter ). The surprising fact is that before this striking constellation of Cancer, about 520 cosmic years. Observation of the constellation is so fascinating that it is impossible to detach from this cosmic abyss and the stars that live in it.

The fact that astrologers are interested in this amazing cluster of stars: the constellation of Cancer includes in its composition one of the brightest double stars (ι cancer). This star is the main one, its value is about 4 ^m , 2. Very near to it there is a satellite, the size of which is 6 ^m , 8. This star carries away, it gleams with yellow, and the satellite gives a blue glow. This spectacle is wonderful and fantastically beautiful, because it is a glow of cosmic "diamonds".

Attention is attracted to the relatively dim star, which Cancer boasts. The constellation in this place is almost invisible to human vision, and the size of this distant star is about 5 ^m . This star is a cluster of 5 stars, which can be viewed using an extremely powerful telescope.

Constellation Cancer is present in the sky due to the fact that the nearest star, the Sun, is moving along the ecliptic. Due to this movement, the star moves from the constellation to the constellation. There are twelve such star-like zodiacal clusters in the cosmic abyss (the constellations of Aries, Cancer, Leo, Pisces, Gemini, Libra, Scorpio, Virgo, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Taurus).

About 2000 years ago the place of the summer solstice was located in the area of the celestial sphere, where the most amazing constellation of Cancer is. Because the visible movement was directed backward, it resembled a cancer that retreated, so this region of the sky sphere was nicknamed in this way.

Stars - one of the most mysterious wonders of the cosmos, to study them is a pleasure!